Rotational Kinematics, Physics Worksheet 1

Rotational Kinematics, Physics
Worksheet 1: Practice working with rotation and revolution
Circular motion can involve rotation and/or
revolution. Rotation occurs when the object spins
about an internal axis. Revolution occurs when the
axis lies outside of the object. Some objects do
both at the same time! The time it takes for an
object to make one rotation or one revolution is
called its period.
Linear motion involves concepts we studied last
semester such as displacement (∆x) and velocity
(∆x/∆t). Circular motions involve changing an
angle (∆θ) and angular velocity (ω) which is how
much this angle changes with respect to time:
(∆θ/∆t). Additionally, a rotating or revolving object
also can move linearly or tangentially. The
displacement is an arc around the circumference
(∆x = 2πr); the velocity [called tangential velocity
(vt)] is this displacement over time. It is called
tangential as the object’s velocity is tangential to the
arc.
As seen from the North Pole, the earth spins CCW once in 24 hours (actually it is slightly less).
1. (a) What is the ∆θ in degrees and radians that the earth moves in 1 hour? (answer = 15 degrees)
(b) What is the Earth’s angular velocity (ω) in rpm, degrees per hour, and radians per second? (answers =
6.94 x 10-4 rpm; 15 deg/hr; 7.27 x 10-5 rad/sec)
(c) If the earth’s radius is about 6.4 x 106 meters, what tangential velocity (m/s) does an object have at the
equator? (answer = 465.4 m/s)
2. A traditional watch has three hands: an hour hand, a minute hand, and
a second hand.
Determine the angular velocity (ω) in radians per second for each hand.
(a) hour hand (answer = 1.45 x 10-4 rad/s):
(b) minute hand (answer = 1.74 x 10-3 rad/s):
(c) second hand ((answer = 1.05 x 10-1 rad/s)
4. A 0.5-meter diameter bicycle wheel is rotating at 60 rpm.
(a) What is its initial angular speed in radians per second? (answer = 6.28 or 2π
rad/s)
(b) What is the tangential velocity in m/s of a point on the rim of the wheel? (answer = 1.57 m/s)
5. Imagine a ferris wheel that is rotating at the rate of 45 degrees each second.
(a) What is the ferris wheel’s period of rotation in seconds? (answer = 8 sec)
(b) What is the angular velocity in rotations per minute (rpm)? (answer = 7.5
rpm)
(c) What is the angular velocity in radians per second? (answer = 0.785 rad/s)
(d) If the tangential velocity of one of the cars is 7.85 m/s, how far (in meters)
is it located from the center (axis of rotation)? (answer = 10 m)
Worksheet 2: Rotational Kinematics
Last semester we learned that there were two types of linear motion: constant motion (a = 0) and
accelerated motion (a ≠ 0). Accelerated motion involves an object changing its velocity—it might be
slowing down (-a) or speeding up (+a).
Constant velocity motion: For constant velocity, we defined the velocity of a slope on a position-time
graph:
5
4
3
2
1
0
We developed the following equation for constant velocity motion using the
definition of slope (the slope could be + or -):
x (position)
v=
0 1 2 3 4 5
x f − xi
t
or
v(t) = x f − xi
or
x f = xi + v(t)
t (time)
Constant accelerated motion: For constant acceleration, acceleration is defined as the slope on a velocitytime graph:
5
4
3
2
1
0
v (velocity)
a=
v f − vi
the
0 1 2 3 4 5
t (time)
t
From this slope equation we were able to come up with
following three basic equations:
vf = vi + at
x = vit + ½at2
vf 2 = vi2 + 2ax
Why do we review this? Because the same equations can be used for circular motion. Instead of
displacement, x, we have an angle, θ; instead of velocity, v, we have angular velocity, ω (radians/sec);
instead of acceleration, a, we have angular acceleration, α, (radians/sec2). The equations are all the same
but x, v, and a are replaced by θ, ω, and α.
As with linear motion, we have two types of angular motion: constant angular motion and accelerated
angular motion. With constant angular motion, the object changes its θ based on one equation:
θf = θi + ωt
If the angular velocity (ω) changes, we have an angular acceleration, α, present. If the angular velocity is
increasing (ω is increasing), then α is positive; if the angular velocity is decreasing (ω is decreasing), then
α is negative. The three equations we developed for linear acceleration above become the following:
ωf = ωi + αt
θ = ωit + ½αt2
ωf 2 = ωi2 + 2αθ
Look at how the equations are very similar to the ones for linear motion above. The only things that are
different are the variables! (One other note: you must use radians for angular quantities)
Let’s see how we would work out a few problems:
Worksheet 2, Rotational Kinematics, continued:
Note: Your answers may be a bit different depending upon rounding.
Example with constant angular motion:
The second hand of a watch rotates at a constant angular velocity (ω) of 0.105
radians/sec.
a) What is the angular displacement (∆θ) in radians and degrees after 90 seconds?
(answer = 9.45 radians or 541 degrees)
b) How many rotations did the second hand undergo?
(answer = 1.5 rotations)
Example with constant angular acceleration:
Wheel of Misfortune. In a popular game show, contestants
give the wheel a spin and try to win money and prizes!
The wheel is given a rotational velocity and this rotation
slows down over time and the wheel eventually stops.
One contestant gives the wheel an initial angular velocity
(ωi) of 1 revolution every two seconds. Because of
friction, the wheel eventually comes to rest (ωf = 0 radians/sec) in 6 seconds.
(a) Because the wheel’s angular velocity is changing, we must have an angular acceleration. Calculate,
α, the angular acceleration in radians/s2. (Note: you must first change the ωi of 1 revolution every two
seconds into rad/sec). (answer = π rad/sec)
(b) Why is the angular acceleration you found in part (a) a negative value? What does the negative sign
physically mean for the wheel? (answer: slowing down)
(c) How many radians (Δθ or θf – θi) did the wheel “sweep” out as it was slowing down to a stop?
(answer = 9.4 rads)
(d) Convert this Δθ you found in the previous answer from radians to rotations. (answer = 1.5 rotations)
(e) The wheel stop rotating in 6 seconds. So at t = 3 seconds, it is still rotating. Calculate the ω in radians
per second at this time. (answer = 1.57 rad/s)
Worksheet 2, Rotational Kinematics, continued:
1. A fan that is turning at 10 rpm speeds up to 25 rpm in 10 seconds. How many radians
and rotations does the blade require to alter its speed? (Note: You must first convert the
rpm to rad/s. To use the equations, any angular quantities must be in radians.) (answer:
18.4 radians or 2.92 rotations)
2. An old phonograph played some records at 45 rpm or 4.71 rad/sec. Let’s say the phonograph is
turning at 45 rpm and then the motor is turned off, taking 0.75 seconds to come to a stop.
a) What is its average angular acceleration? (answer = - 6.28 rad/sec2)
b) How many rotations did it make while coming to a stop? (θ = 1.77 radians or 0.281 rot)
3. A flywheel turning at 1200 rev/min
(125.7 rad/s) constant angular velocity has
a radius of 2.5 cm (0.025 m). As it turns, a
string is to be wound onto its rim. How
long a piece string will be wrapped in 10
seconds (i.e. how high will it lift the
weight)? (answer = 31.4 m)
4. A wheel makes 4.0 rotations in 1 second, rotating at constant angular velocity. What will its angular
displacement be after 13.0 s? Determine in rotations and radians. (answers = 52 rotations or 327 rad)
5. CDs are not only used in the music industry, but are also utilized in the computer industry. The
information of a huge library can be stored on a single CD. The CD spins around and information is read
or written to it as it rotates. One CDROM drive I saw mentions it has a stated angular velocity of 8560
rpm. If the CD starts from rest, what is the angular acceleration if it takes 120 milliseconds (0.12
seconds) for the CD to reach this angular velocity? (answer = 7470 rad/s2)
6. Starting from rest, the tub of a washing machine reaches an angular speed of 5.2 rad/s, with an average
angular acceleration of 4.0 rad/s2.
(a) How long does it take the spin cycle to come up to speed? (answer = 1.3
sec)
(b) What angular displacement (in radians and rotations) does the tub rotate
through as it reaches this angular velocity? (answer 3.38 radians or 0.54
rotations)
7. The blades of an electric blender are whirling with an angular velocity of
+375 rad/s while the “puree” button is pushed in. When the “blend” button is
then pressed, the blades accelerate and reach a greater angular velocity after the
blades have rotated through an angular displacement of +44.0 rad (seven
2
revolutions). The angular acceleration has a constant value of +1740 rad/s .
Find the final angular velocity (ωf) of the blades. (answer = 542 rad/s)
8. A 0.5-meter diameter bicycle wheel initially rotating at 60 rpm rolls to rest at a constant rate in 10
seconds. What is its angular acceleration, α, in radians per second per second?
(answer = -0.628 rad/s2)
Worksheet 3. Several more practice problems dealing with circular motion
1. Many microwave ovens rotate the food as it cooks it. Let’s say we have a
microwave oven with a rotating plate of 15 cm (0.15 cm) radius. The angular
acceleration (α) of this rotating plate has been measured at 0.87 rad/s2. This is the
angular acceleration needed to bring the plate from rest to its operational rotational
velocity (ωf). The plate takes 0.5 seconds to reach this ωf. Once it reaches this ωf,
the plate moves at a constant angular velocity.
(a) What is the angle (θ) the plate moves through in both radians and rotations as it starts from rest and
reaches its operational angular velocity? (answer = 0.11 rad or 0.017 rotation)
(b) What is the operational angular velocity in radians per second? (answer = 0.44 rad/s).
(c) What would is the tangential velocity (vt) of a point on the outer edge of the plate? (note: there is an
easy way to get the answer and a more difficult way). answer = 0.065 or 0.066m/s).
(d) When the microwave is turned off, the rotating plate makes half of a revolution before stopping.
What is the angular acceleration needed to stop the plate given the operational angular velocity of 0.44
rad/s found in part b? (answer = -0.031 rad/s2)
2. A race car is on a circular track with a radius of 0.30 km (300 m). The driver accelerates from rest
with a constant angular acceleration (α) of 4.5 x 10-3 rad/s2. The driver constantly accelerates as he
drives one lap around the track.
(a) How long does it take for the driver to make one lap around the
track? (answer = 53 seconds)
r = 300 m
(b) What is the driver’s angular velocity (ωf) as he
finishes this first lap? Answer in rad/s and degrees/sec
(answer 0.23 or 0.24 rad/s or around 13-14 degrees per
sec)
3. The blades of a circular fan running at low speed turn at 250 rpm. When the fan is switched to high
speed, the rotation rate increases to 350 rpm. This change of the rotation rate occurs uniformly and
takes 5.75 seconds. Remember to convert rpm to rad/s.
(a) What is the angular acceleration (α) needed to go from low to high speed? (answer = 1.82 rad/s2)
(b) How many rotations do the fan blades go through while the fan is accelerating? (answer = 28.8
rotations)